Picking Up the Pieces
by j.redrose360
Summary: Sole trying to cope with finding Shaun when a worried Nick finds them. MASSIVE MAIN QUEST SPOILERS!
1. Chapter 1

The blurry bottle sloshed as you put it down on the bar. Why couldn't the world just stop spinning you thought as you lay your head on the bar. You close your eyes and listen to Magnolia sorrowful song and your chest tightens as your mind drifts to unpleasant places. Barely able to sit on the stool drunk and it still god damn institute, 60 fucking years, could I even call him son, your head throbs with these thoughts.

You reach into your pocket of your jacket, the booze wasn't enough tonight to forget so you pull out a bottle of day tripper popping one into your mouth before washing it down with the rest of the vodka. You lay your head back on the cool counter and wonder if you should try another bottle too. You don't want to throw up again waste of a pill. Maybe you should wait till the chem hits. You just wanna forget everything. Stupid booze never worked.

You're not sure how long you had been lying there drifting in your mind when Charlie notices the empty bottle in your hand and hovers over "I don't care if you're a friend of the mayor I ain't gonna serve you another bottle tonight, He'll have my circuits if I do."

"Fuck off Charlie" you mutter swaying dangerously on your stool before a metal hand that feels so familiar grips your shoulder to steady you. You look at his worn face. He almost looks angry you flinch away scared but his hand stays firmly around your shoulders to keep you from falling to the floor.

"Hey Charlie I'll take it from here" Nick's other hand reaches into his trench coat and places and hefty tip on the counter.

"Make sure they stay out of trouble Mr. Valentine"

"Will do Charlie" Nick says as he helps you down from the stool. You can't meet his eyes you try in a drunk haze to think of why he could be mad. Did he know about your son. That he is the leader of the organization that has been terrorizing the commonwealth. How could he know. Was was he mad about something maybe…. You're mind starts to drift and you start to forget as the day tripper starts to set in.

You wonder where you're going when cold air hits your face and you're surprised when Nick answers "I'm taking you to the Rexford." you giggle realizing you said it out loud. Nick looks down at you scowling "Do you know how worried everyone has been."

"Nicky you're hat is so sexy" you said giggling again not noticing his anger as you twisted out from Nick's arm to try and reach it but you sway and fall to the damp ground. You start laughing hysterically not even knowing what is so funny.

Nick sighs face softening worry etching his features. He sweeps you up in his arms realizing this will be quicker and safer than trying to lead you there.

"Nickkkkkkyyyyy I liked the ground." you whine turning your head in towards him so close your nose touches his cheek. "oh don't look so sad nick you're not pretty when you're sad" you pressed a kiss to his cheek giggling even more. Surprise flashed across his face before he frowned again. And that was the last thing you remember.

" Oh Sole what happened in there" he said under his breath his voice filled with sorrow as you entered the rexford.


	2. Chapter 2

The blackness swirled and twisted into an icy sheet in front of you. No, not again, not this. You pound against the frosty glass trying even though you knew you couldn't stop what was about to happen. As Kellogg shot your spouse the blood gushing out, like a gruesome fountain. Tears stream down your face; how many times would you relive this before it stopped haunting you. Your hands reach out to pound on the window as Kellogg painted red by blood approaches his face changing as he gets closer, hair greying, eyes and face softening till your son Shaun was the one looking at you.

His calm voice reaches you past the glass "It had to be done."

"Why Shaun why why why" you scream as tears stream down your face. So many people died because of him because of the institute. You want to shake him tell him to look at the people of the commonwealth, to see their terrified eyes, to make him see what he has done. He regrets none of the deaths his eyes are cold. This isn't the innocent baby you remember not even the child you saw in Kellogg's memories, he was your son but you couldn't call this monster son anymore. Your family was gone nothing remained but you.

"For the future of course all these experiments are for the greater good, and you're in for a treat. You get to observe our newest experiment." Shaun replied ignoring your sorrow as he calmly motioned to someone you couldn't see. Nick came into view, stripped of his clothes, eyes blank, led by a scientist.

"NO" you screamed pounding on the glass. You can't lose anyone else. So much had been taken from you already. Shaun snapped his fingers and the scientist next to nick fiddled with some wires in Nick's neck.

"This is an older experiment but we wanted to know if the memories of Kellogg we found in there could be made into the dominate personality."

Nick's eyes focused and his face contorted into a cruel smirk "Should have killed you when I had the chance".

"NO no no Nick NICK no no." you wailed hands dragging down the glass.

Nick watched from his perch on the edge of the bed with sad eyes while you tossed and turned as you slept.

"NO no no Nick NICK no no" you screamed sitting forward abruptly, eyes snapping open.

"Doll shhh its ok im right here" Nick grabbed both your shoulders, forcing you to look him in the eyes. He hoped it would break you from the grasps of your dream.

"Nick nick no no no" you grab at his coat trying to make sure he is real; that you didn't lose him too.

"Shhh it's ok doll, just a dream." he wrapped his arms around you as you sobbed rubbing small circles on your back. He wanted more than anything for you to be alright, to see you smile again.

All you could do was sob into his shirt and tie your dream haunting your thoughts. The thought of losing anyone else makes it ache deep inside your chest. You cry until you're eyes are dry and you're exhausted. You're eyes start to drift close; his familiar aroma of metal and nicotine comforting and relaxing you enough that you start to fall back asleep on his chest.

Nick seeing you start to drift back to sleep tried to move you off of him and back onto the soft pillow but you woke just enough to weakly say "No don't go please"

"I'm not going anywhere doll" he replied hesitantly wrapping his arms around you as you drifted off to sleep.


End file.
